City officials confirmed Wednesday that Walmart has requested a proposal to rezone property on Vancouver Avenue that would allow for the opening of a Walmart Neighborhood Market appear before the Russellville City Council at its October meeting.

City Clerk Kathy Collins confirmed the measure to rezone the property from R-1 (Single Family Residential) to C-4 (Neighborhood and Quiet Business) is on the list of items to be added to the agenda — which must first be approved by the council at its agenda preparatory meeting on Oct. 9— though it was denied by the Russellville Planning Commission at its August meeting.

If approved, the rezoning will allow for the opening of a Walmart Neighborhood Market on Vancouver Avenue between West Main Street and West Second Place.

At the August Planning Commission meeting, where commissioners voted unanimously against rezoning, Little Rock-based attorney Stephen R. Giles, who attended the meeting on behalf of Walmart, addressed the commission and a city council chambers full of Russellville residents opposed to the store located near their neighborhoods. Giles said at the meeting that because of high traffic volumes on West Main Street and Vancouver Avenue, the 6-acre site would be ideal for the business in terms of economic growth and accessibility to nearby residents.

Giles added that while residents on Vancouver Avenue could expect to see only a 10 percent increase in traffic, Walmart would put funds toward opening a traffic signal at the intersection if warranted.

Giles’ defense of the new grocery store was overrun with opposition, earning comments from residents in the area who voiced concerns over a potential decline in property values, along with concerns of an increase in traffic, lighting, noise and crime in the area before the commission made the decision to strike down the motion.

The Russellville City Council will meet in its regular meeting on Oct. 18.

Now let's think this through. Is Wal-Mart gonna plunk down a store in any place that isn't going to attract a bunch of people? Ummm...no. This is how they operate: Stack 'em deep and sell 'em cheap. It's a strategy that requires a whole lotta customers. Not to mention supply chain and employee traffic.

Walgreens has Wal-Mart shaking in their boots, and this is the prescribed answer. But quaint, quiet, and quantity-controlled isn't Wal-Mart's style. I challenge council members to go visit some of these neighborhood markets before even entertaining a discussion on the matter. Then ask yourselves, is this environment in keeping with the current neighborhood?